Big Apple Sports: All New York Sports. All The Time.

2007 was a fantastic and terrible year in the world of New York sports. So, taking an idea from colleague Tim Sharobem, I decided to put together a compilation of both the best and worst sports moments of 2007 for each of our New York sports teams.

New York Yankees

Best Sports Moment: (tied) Bringing up Joba Chamberlin, Resigning Alex Rodriguez

Worst Sports Moment: Watching Boston win another championship

Up until a few weeks ago, I would have easily picked bringing up Joba during the season as the best moment. He revitalized a franchise that eleven years ago infused their team with youth, among these players Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter, Andy Petitte, and Mo Rivera. We all know how that ended up.

However, you really need to recognize how important Alex Rodriguez is to the success of the New York Yankees. How do you replace his numbers? Sure, hes a pansy and a primadonna who often doesn’t seem to cut in the winning mold that the Yankee faithful embrace. There were no better options out there at third base however, who would keep this team at the championship level that they are approaching again. I would expect big things out of Arod again this year, especially since he manned up and basically fired Scott Boras, who made him into the ridiculous image that we all have of Arod.

I won’t even discuss the worst moment, because we all know how George and Co. run the Bronx.

New York Mets

Best Sports Moment: Seeing Pedro Martinez on the mound again

Worst Sports Moment: If you don’t know this one, then I seriously am baffled

It was fantastic seeing Pedro back on the mound this year. The guy still gives me chills with the way he uses his stuff and intelligence every time he pitches. He was going to be the one that would make us forget about Yadier Molina and the 2006 Cardinals until….

The biggest collapse in baseball history. As a diehard Met fan, this still makes me queasy as I type these words. It is still unfathomable to me how we didn’t play the Rockies in the NLDS. I could go on and on about everything that should have been done, but I’ll sum it up in one sentence. The Philadelphia Phillies resembled everything that we should have been last year in terms of heart and dedication, and we were nothing more then garbage that last month of the season.

New York Giants

Best Sports Moment: (tied) Almost defeating the New England Patriots/Avenging Tom Coughlin and the 2006 Giants

Worst Sports Moment: 2007 Eli Manning

You can’t really come to too many conclusions about the 2007 Giants as of yet, because their season continues on. However, when Tom Coughlin made his magical transition from military police to Dr. Phil, the team wanted to avenge everything that they bashed him on for the three previous years of his regime. They played with heart and fire, and let their game do much of the talking. All you can say is, it’s about time.

Since you most likely could insert ______ defeated the New York Giants by a score of _______ in the 2007 playoffs as the worst moment of 2007, which hasn’t happened yet, I had some trouble with this. But then I remembered who the Giants quarterback is. Easy E still is nothing more than Rex Grossman with better offensive weapons around him. Time and time again, Eli came out early in the season and played outstanding (Cowboys game), and then terribly (a lot of games). Hopefully the game against the Patriots can really build his confidence of being a top flight starting quarterback. I’m not going to hold my breath.

New York Jets

Best Sports Moment: Catching Bill Belichick cheating

Worst Sports Moment: The 2007 Season

The Jets were awful this year. They have no quarterback, no offensive line, and players who don’t fit into the 3-4 scheme that Mangini utilizes. Have fun this offseason Tannenbaum. Kudos to Mangenius for selling out Belichick though, so all of those Patriot haters can put the * next to their undefeated season. Here’s to the 2008 draft fellas.

New York Rangers

Best Sports Moment: 2007 Playoff Run

Worst Sports Moment: Chris Drury scoring with 7 seconds left to end any chance of the 2007 Playoff Run

I don’t think I have ever been more excited in sporting event this season, aside from the Giants vs. Patriots game, then I was during the Rangers playoff run this year. This team brought back vivid memories of the 1994 Rangers. I was consistently on the edge of my seat. The series against Buffalo was a memorable one, which ended in agony, after Chris “Captain Clutch” Drury single-handedly changed the complexion of the series. At least we signed him away from Buffalo for the ‘08 playoffs.

New York Islanders

Best Sports Moment: Making the 2007 Playoffs

Worst Sports Moment: Those Damn Buffalo Sabres

The Islanders really resurged under coach Teddy Nolan in 2007. After signing what seemed like a bunch of useless free agents (Tom Poti etc.), and certain mediocrity as far as a season goes, the Islanders made the playoffs, and gave the Buffalo Sabres a tough time in the first round. You really can’t say anything negative about the Islander’s season, because there was no expectations to begin with.

New Jersey Devils

Best Sports Moment: Another All-Around Good Season

Worst Sports Moment: Losing to the Senators

The Devils continued their string of playoff seasons by compiling a nice season again. They fired another coach (Claude Julien) during the middle of the season, and pretty much were the same Devils that we have come to expect since 1994. They were dismantled in the second round of the playoffs, ending any of my hopes of a 1994 rematch in the Eastern Conference finals, by a much better and deeper Senators team. It will be interesting to see if Big Lou will let Brent Sutter make it to the playoffs this year, or will try to take credit for GM’ing and coaching the Devils to their next Stanley Cup yet again.

New York Knicks

Best Sports Moment: HAHAHAHAHAHA. OK, maybe that website SelltheKnicks.com.

Worst Sports Moment: Hmmm, where do I start?

The most repulsive franchise in all of sports. Can they do anything right? OK, in all seriousness, they did develop some nice young players again, such as David Lee, and Eddy Curry finally started to resemble a top-tier NBA center, and not an overweight sloth. But of course, these are the Knicks, and instead of letting this team grow, Isiah goes off and acquires Zach Randolph, a scummy, less in shape, better scoring and rebounding version of Eddy Curry, and tries to put them in the same front court. Nice Job. Oh well, here is to 2015 for the Knickerbockers.

New Jersey Nets

Best Sports Moment: Upsetting the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs

Worst Sports Moment: Losing Nenad Krstic and having to use Jason Collins.

The Nets had another good season, and much like their hockey counterparts, have become a very stable playoff team. Losing Nenad Krstic really hurt their NBA Championship aspirations, as he was in the middle of a breakout season. He really hasn’t been the same since, and the Nets look lost without a true center.